Bowling game.



Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

H. K.PETERSEN.

BOWLING GAME.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2'3. 191?.

HENRY K. PETERSEN, or sen DIIVIAS, onnrronnre.

BOWLING GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3W1? Application filed February 23, 1917. Serial No. 150,320.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. PETERSEN, a subject of the King of Denmark, having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, and residing at San Dimas, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Bowling Game, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game which is similar to the ordinary bowling alley, but in which provision is made for automatically setting up the pins by operating means controlled from the playing end of the alley.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a bowling game-in which the 7 pins will be so supported as to partake, to a large extent, of the freedom of movement possessed by the ordinary separate pins.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling game with mechanical automatic restoring means, in which the pins are so supported that they may fall into position in which they are clear of the alley floor, so as to leave the alley unobstructed for succeeding plays.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of my invention and referring thereto:

Figure 1 is a plan view thereof, partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing one of the pins in depressed position.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the same.

In the drawings, 1 designates the alley floor or bed, it being understood that this may be of any suitable dimensions; for eX- ample, those of the ordinary bowling alley, or, in case it is desired to use the device as a toy, this bed will be made of appropriately small size. The pins indicated at 2 are mounted near one end of this floor, preferably ,in a triangular arrangement shown, similar to the setting up of'the pins in the ordinary bowling alley. Each pin is carried by a rocking member 3, which has pivots or trunnions 4 mounted in bearings 5 on the bottom of the floor member below the upper surface of the floor member, and said floor has slots indicated at 6, to enable the pin to swing down into said slots, in position below the floor level, so as to leave the floor surface unobstructed. I prefer to mount each pin 2 on its rocking support 3 in such manner as to enable the pin to tilt, or to be deflected, laterally with relation to said supporting member, For this purpose, the lower end of the pin may rest ona fiat bear ing face 7 on the upper end of a stud 8 on the said rocking support and may be held in position by a chain or flexible member 10 connected to the bottom of the pin and extending through a bore 11 in said rocking support, said chain being extended downwardly and rearwardly and over a pulley or rotating support 13 and then forwardly to an operating member 15. Said operating member may consist of a ring to which the flexible members 10 for all the pins are connected, said ring being carried by an arm 16 on a shaft 17 mounted to rock in bearings 18 below the bed or floor member 1; and said shaft 17 also carrying an arm 19 connected by a rod 20 to an arm 21 on a rock shaft 22, also mounted to rock in bearings- 22 on the bed or floor member 1 and provided with an operating handle 23. In order to hold the pins up normally in erect position while permitting the same to be deflected laterally when required, a helical compression spring 25 may be provided, said spring being coiled around the flexible member 10 and engaging between a cross in 26 on said flexible member and a washer 27 which slides loosely on said flexible member and engages the lower end of a boss 27 projecting downwardly from the rocking member 3.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Normally all the pins are assumed to be in upright position, being held in such position by the operation of the springs 25. The handle 23 is thrown rearward to position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, so as to slacken the operating devices and enable the pins to be thrown down by the ball. When the ball is delivered from the playing end of the alley and strikes one or more of the pins, the same will be thrown rearwardly and at the same time, in case of an impingement of the ball in any but an exactly central position, the pin or pins will be given more or less of a lateral blow. The result of this operation is that any of the pins so struck, will be caused to fall into the corresponding slot 6 and in the lateral movement of the pin during the falling, it may strike one or more of the other pins, somewhat in the same manner as in the operation of the ordinary pins in the bowling alley. It will be understood that as the downward movement of the pin is completed, it is restored to straight position with reference to its'support, both by operation of the spring 25 and by contact with the side walls of the slot 6, so that any pin which is struck eventually becomes housed within said slot and out of the way of the ball in the next play.

When a player has finished his turn, the operating handle 23 is drawn forward so as to operate the ring 15 and draw all of the operating flexible members 10in such manner' as to turn the rocking members 3 on their supports and bring all of the pins to upright position. The handle may then be moved back so as to slacken the operating means 12 and leave the pins free for the next play.

Suitable stop means 1nay be provided for limiting the downward movement of the pins. When the ball has been played, it may be returned to the forward end of the alley by an inclined runway 31.

What I claim is:

1. In a bowling game, a floor member having a plurality of slots, rocking members five cents each, by addressing Washington, I]. 0.

mounted below said floor member, pins mounted on the respective rocking members in such manner as to provide for lateral movement of each pin on its rocking member, means for yieldingly holding each pin in erect position on its rocking member and means connected to each rocking member to turn the samefor .moving the pins to upright position. v

2. A bowling game comprising a floor member having a plurality of slots, rocking members mounted beneath the surface of said floor, pins resting on said rocking members, flexible operating means connected to said pins and extending through said rocking members, spring means for' normally holding the pins. in erect position with respect to said rockingmember, and operating means connected to the aforesaid flexible means to operate the rocking members for simultaneous return of all fallen pins to upright position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 13th day of February, 1917.

the Commissioner of Patents,

HEN K. PETERSEN. 

